Animal welfare laws are of little to no value, as transgressions often only result in warning letters and dropped prosecutions. Even if they were taken seriously, this wouldn't put an end to cruelty in the meat industry.

Most of us would never dream of hurting a cat or dog, but when it comes to pigs, cows and chickens, we turn a blind eye. It's legal to gas male chicks, shoot cows in the head or slit their throats, to cut off horns and beaks without anaesthetic.

What is legal and what is moral are completely different issues.

Welfare laws in industries which profit from killing animals will always be a sham, because there is no humane way to kill an animal which does not want to die.

The next logical step for someone who truly believes in animal welfare is to stop funding industries which profit from animal cruelty, and to go vegan.